Strict action if anyone tries to circulate purported images of

With the Higher Secondary Examination set to start from March 12, the WBCHSE on Wednesday said it will take strict action if anyone tries to circulate purported images of question papers in Whatsapp group to disrupt the process.

An estimated 7.9 lakh candidates will appear in the higher secondary examination which will be held from March 12 to 27 across 734 examination centres in the state.

West Bengal Council of Higher Secondary Education (WBCHSE) president Mohua Das urged media to reveal the source of any Whatsapp message to the council as a section of people form Whatsapp group and circulate images to disrupt the exams.

"These people have the sole aim to misguide candidates, they play with their (students') career and even forward such images to a section of media. Whenever such a thing will come to our knowledge, we will pass on the information to the cyber cell and they will conduct a probe for appropriate action," Das said.

Asked about the precautionary measures to prevent coronavirus, Das said "we will be following standard procedures as recommended by the Health department notifications.

The WBCHE president said if the source of such messages are not divulged by media, she won't give reaction about any purported question paper leak from the concerned reporter.

The council president said internet facilities will be blocked in some "sensitive areas" where the exam centres are located for about one hour after the start of the exams.

Asked to name such areas she said it would be done in consultation with the district administration but some parts of Malda will also be included.

Das said 250-300 metal detectors will be used in as many examination centres located in Malda, Birbhum, Howrah, North 24 Parganas and North Dinajpur and some other districts.

"There will be no body frisking and the metal detectors will be so powerful they can detect any banned object when the person passes the device," she said.

To prevent any malpractices during the exams, a senior chief invigilator will solely be entrusted to monitor the examinations in a centre.

Das said if any examination centre is found to have any lapses to prevent malpractices like copying, using mobile phones inside the hall, "we might consider cancelling their affiliation from next year."